Are crows the ultimate problem solvers? - Inside the Animal Mind

youtube ^

[chessplayer]

Programme website: Dr Alex Taylor sets a difficult problem solving task, will the crow defeat the puzzle?

[chessplayer]

Absolutely amazing. There are so many non-human intelligences on this planet, and so many people view non-human life with complete disdain,,,just "things" to be eradicated so we can build a parking lot or whatever. We had best hope a highly advanced space traveling species never finds us, because they would probably treat us with the same disdain and just sweep us away.

[bigheadfred]

they are already treating us with disdain

[tanknetter]

Crows, no.

Squirrels, yes.

[A'elian' nation]

Best crow problem-solving caught on YouTube:
You got to take a moment to check out this minute video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5NuBk5_Izc

Look real close on what the crow is using to ski down the roof in Russia.

You would think flying would be fun enough, but guess this bird is training for the Sochi Olympics.

[Paladin2]

Crows are Native Americans and have the entrepreneurial spirit.

[Pajamajan]

I’ve heard that crows are highly intelligent, but, WOW.

[Ancesthntr]

If the damned crows are so smart, why haven’t they helped us get rid of Obama?

Seriously, this is pretty amazing. We do, indeed, seriously underestimate the ability of animals to remember things, to think about them and to solve problems based on prior knowledge and thinking. No, they are not as intelligent as the average human (and that level is dropping as we speak - the move, “Idiocracy” was prophetic), but they aren’t as dumb as a box of rocks (or Joe Biden), either.

[bigheadfred]

my dad has some home video of a tree squirrel figuring out how to pull up a piece of corn on the cob hanging from a string about 18 inches down tied to a tree branch and chewing off the string after so he can abscond with the prize

[ConservativeMan55]

bttt

[bigheadfred]

If the damned crows are so smart, why haven’t they helped us get rid of Obama?

that would be a black on black crime which doesnt exist

[lurk]

Orcas are also complex problem solvers. But they usually end up solving a problem with tons of force.

[Ancesthntr]

Ah, silly me, I should’ve known. Maybe we can enlist Bluejays or Cardinals, instead. Or maybe the best bird would be a Snow Owl (but would that be WAAAAAAACIST???).

[ConservativeMan55]

bttt

[chessplayer]

lol Having fun skiing just like people do. Read about another species of bird that will bend and fashion tools out of twigs or pieces of wire to get at food in hard to reach spots. And it saves the tool to use again!

[bigheadfred]

i cant blame the crows maybe the blue footed boobies

[Graewoulf]

I will think of this video the next time someone calls me a “bird brain.”

[A'elian' nation]

But did you notice what he was using for his skis?

[chessplayer]

Seriously, this is pretty amazing. We do, indeed, seriously underestimate the ability of animals to remember things, to think about them and to solve problems based on prior knowledge and thinking. No, they are not as intelligent as the average human (and that level is dropping as we speak - the move, “Idiocracy” was prophetic), but they aren’t as dumb as a box of rocks (or Joe Biden), either.

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I’m seriously wondering if people would be able to solve that puzzle as fast as the crow did, given the same circumstances.

[chessplayer]

Yup. lol

[chessplayer]

my dad has some home video of a tree squirrel figuring out how to pull up a piece of corn on the cob hanging from a string about 18 inches down tied to a tree branch and chewing off the string after so he can abscond with the prize

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Wow. They’re smart animals, too.